Do You Love Me, Sora?
by LMN
Summary: My first Taiora!! What will Sora's answer be? And beware of the nonexistent Sora/Tai/Matt love triangle!^^;;;;


Forward: My first Taiora!!! Yay!! It's not really PG-13 it's just that it's not PG either. It's sort of in between and it's better to be safe then sorry. Umm.........what else? Oh yeah, enjoy! R&R and no flames!!!!!!!!^^  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own anything in this fic. Don't sue me. K? ^^  
  
  
  
Do You Love Me, Sora?  
  
by M  
  
  
  
"....and he passes it to Tai Kamiya, the star of the Odibia soccer team!" the announcer reported, "Can Tai make the goal? Only 5 seconds remaining. Four! Three! Two! And he makes it! Tai has won the game!! What a play!!!"  
  
"YEAH!!!!!!!!" the crowd cheered for their favorite player. Among them was 14-year-old Sora Takenochi, who smiled warmly, proud of Tai's accomplishment. She got a strange feeling thinking about him, she felt warm and happy. But he was only her friend, her best friend mind you, but just her friend, wasn't he? That's what she told herself anyway.  
  
She watched as Tai left the field, waving to his fans and smiling like a madman over his victory. She waved back, knowing he would probably not see her though in the huge crowd that had gathered for the day's game. As he turned his head, though, his eyes seemed to come in contact with hers. And was it just her, of did the his face lose some of it's goofiness when he saw her, and turn a bit red as well?  
  
She shook it off and walked towards the locker rooms to congratulate her friend.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Tai!" he heard someone call behind him.  
  
"Oh, hey Sora!" he called back.  
  
"Great pass today! Not everyone could have pulled it off, you know." she commented.  
  
"Thanks." he said, his face turned serious, "Umm, I was wondering, do you want me to walk you home?"  
  
Sora felt her own face turn red for unknown reasons. She quickly looked down at her feet, "Well, ummm...."  
  
'Did he really mean it? What did he mean by that anyway?' she looked up the see Tai with a goofy smile back on his face, 'Oh, he's just trying to be friendly.' she thought, relieved and disappointed at the same time, 'I'm just letting my imagination get to me.'  
  
"Sure." she replied, smiling.  
  
"Cool."  
  
  
  
The pair stopped in front of Sora's door, "Well, here we are." Tai stated.  
  
"Yeah, see ya!" Sora thanked her friend as she turned to go inside. She was about to close the door when Tai asked her a question. It was a simple yes or no, but it was a question that she found extremely difficult to answer, "Do you love me, Sora?"  
  
Her mind raced, 'What kind of question was that?! Did he mean it the way she thought he did? How should she answer? Did she?'  
  
"I ah....." she began, then she turned and stared at him. He had a calm look on his face. Uncommon for Tai.  
  
'This must be important to him.' she thought, 'He's just standing there, giving me all the time I need, waiting for me to answer.'  
  
"Well, I do Tai." she answered, "I mean, you do mean a lot to me. Your my very best friend."  
  
"Best friend....." he repeated.  
  
'I just know it's better this way. That is how I feel about him, isn't it?' she thought, "Yeah. You've always been there for me. Just like an older brother."  
  
"A brother......" he trailed off.  
  
"Yeah, exactly!" she said. She ran up to him, and with a fake smile plastered on her face, gave him a warm, friendly hug. But it was nothing more then that.  
  
"That's good to know." he said, quietly. He turned to go, "Well, I had better head home."  
  
"Yeah, see ya!" Sora called, closing the door as he left.  
  
'That look on his face...' she thought, 'It was so sad and disappointed. He really did mean it when he asked if I loved him. And I told him just as a friend. I really didn't want to hurt him, but I hurt him more then if I had just said "no".'  
  
"I was just too taken aback by the abruptness of your question to truly answer it right." she said aloud to the empty apartment, "I-I do love you Tai, more then a brother. But I didn't tell you... I'm sorry."  
  
  
  
Tai trudged slowly home.   
  
'A friend. An older brother.' he thought, 'That's all I am to her. Why did I even bother asking?'  
  
Sure, Tai hadn't expected Sora to shout 'Yes!!' over and over and jump into his arms, but he hadn't expected the reaction she gave him either. To tell you the truth, he had no idea what Sora would do when he asked if she loved him. Maybe he should have been expecting this. But he had really thought she had cared about him as more then a friend. He really had.  
  
He came to his door and sighed as he pushed it open.  
  
"Hey, Tai. Something wrong." Kari asked her brother when he walked in, "Did you see Sora?"  
  
The look he gave her was enough to answer that question, "Oh..." she trailed off, "I'm sorry."  
  
Tai put another fake smile on his face, "Oh, don't worry about it!" he smiled.  
  
"Tai........."  
  
"What? It's nothing!" and with that, the brown-haired teenager ran into the bedroom and flopped down onto his bed, where he stayed until the phone started to ring.  
  
  
  
"Hello?" Tai mumbled into the phone.  
  
"Hey, Tai."  
  
"Oh, hey Matt. What's up?" Tai asked, not really caring what the answer would be.  
  
"Oh, the sky, birds, planed, Superman. The usual. What about you? Did you ask Sora?" Matt questioned.  
  
"Yeah." Tai told the blond, sadly.  
  
"And?" Matt prodded.  
  
"She's really glad that she has such a caring older brother." Tai said, somewhat coldly, "I don't know how you convinced me to ask her how she felt!"  
  
"Hey! Don't get mad at me, dude!" Matt snapped, then his voice got more sympathetic, "I'm really sorry."  
  
"Yeah, me too. For yelling at you." Tai apologized.  
  
"Look, I know you must be bummed out. But I did hear what happened at your game today. Great shot, man! So, how about we go celebrate with a pizza or something. It'll get your mind off things anyway." Matt suggested.  
  
Tai thought about this for a moment. He really did need to get Sora off his mind.  
  
"Fine." he agreed.  
  
"Cool, I'll meet you at the pizza parlor down the street in about 10 minutes then?"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Great. See ya."  
  
"Bye."  
  
  
  
"Hello?" Kari asked as she opened her door.  
  
"Hi." Sora said, "Um... Is Tai home?"  
  
"No, he left for pizza a while ago." Kari answered.  
  
"Oh." Sora sighed, disappointed, "Well, I'll see ya."  
  
"Yeah, bye Sora." Kari called as the older girl rushed down the hall.  
  
  
  
'Pizza?!' Sora thought, a little angry as well as disappointed.  
  
She had thought long and hard about Tai's question and had come to the conclusion that, while she didn't feel that the two of them were destined soul mates, she did care about Tai and love him very much, as more then a friend or brother. She had rushed all the way from her apartment in order to tell him this, just to find out that he had forgotten all about his little confession and gone out for pizza with someone!  
  
'Probably some girl.' she thought, but she dismissed the thought just as quickly, 'No he was way to sincere and disappointed at the way I acted to just go out with some other girl the same day. I mean, after all we've been through, it would have to be someone really close to him to make him forget me so quickly. And other then Mimi, who's in America, I can't really think of any other girls who even come close to fitting the bill. I'll just let him know haw I truly feel tomorrow in school.'  
  
She concluded that this was the best course of action and ran out of the apartment building towards home.  
  
  
  
"Wow. That was a good pizza! Right, Tai?" Matt asked his friend.  
  
"Yeah. Sure." Tai responded half-heartedly.   
  
Matt sighed, trying to get Tai happy when he didn't want to be was harder then he thought.  
  
"I know how you feel about Sora. But come on! There are plenty of other girls who would love a date with the star of the soccer team." Matt said, smiling.  
  
Tai looked up, anger in his eyes, "Matt! How can you even say that. If you feel like going out with any of those bimbos that have a crush on you and your band fine! But Sora was special. I don't feel like just forgetting about her. Ok?"  
  
Matt looked taken aback, "Look, dude. I'm sorry. But don't take your anger out on me. Ok!?"  
  
Tai calmed down again, "Sorry, Matt. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's just that Sora was really special to me, and to know that she doesn't have the same feelings for me that I do for her........." he trailed off.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Matt said, walking up to his friend, "At least you don't have Jun chasing you all around Japan."  
  
Tai had to smile at this, "Yeah, that's your problem alright. Thanks Matt."  
  
"Your welcome." Matt said as he and Tai gave each other a friendly hug.  
  
Now, mind you, this was a friendly hug and nothing more. Of course to several onlookers, who turned their heads and stared strangely at the pair, it seemed more then that. And one of those people, was Sora.  
  
  
  
Matt looked up from the hug to see several people staring at him and Tai.  
  
"What?!" he asked them, annoyed, "Nothing to see here, people. Move along."  
  
The people quickly turned their heads and walked away.  
  
"Jeez." he said, "People these days. Can't even go a pat a friend on the back without someone thinking your gay."  
  
"I know." Tai agreed, "Well, see ya Matt?"  
  
"Yeah, bye Tai." the blond called as he turned and ran towards home.  
  
  
  
Sora, tears streaming down her face, ran as fast as she could towards home. Tai and Matt?! How could it be? But she had seen them in the street, hugging each other. Didn't they have any shame?! She knew they were good friends, but but ..... she couldn't finish the thought.  
  
Her apartment was just ahead. She burst through the door, much to her mother's surprise, and fell into a sobbing heap on the couch.  
  
"Sora?" her mother asked, approaching the couch, "What's wrong, dear?"  
  
"Oh, Mom!" Sora cried, jumping into her mother's arms, "It's Tai! He asked if I loved him today and I said just as a friend but I didn't mean that I care about him more then that. I just didn't know how to react at first."  
  
"Sora." her mother said, trying to comfort her daughter, "Why don't you let him know how you feel?"  
  
"I tried! But when I saw him he was with Matt! And th-they hugged each other, right in the middle of the street! Oh Mama!!!" she starting crying again.  
  
"Shhh." her mother told her, "It's ok, Sora. It's ok."  
  
She continued to hold her daughter in her arms until she cried herself to sleep.  
  
  
  
the next day.........  
  
  
  
"Hey Tai!" Matt called through the crowd of students.  
  
"What's up Matt?" Tai said, waving to his friend.  
  
"Oh, you know. The sky, birds, pl-"  
  
"Other then that!"   
  
"Oh, well, nothing much. Where are you going?" Matt asked.  
  
"Biology." Tai answered, then he checked his watch, "And I'm going to be late! See ya!" he called before dashing down the hallway.  
  
"See ya." he thought he heard Matt call back, but he couldn't be sure.  
  
He continued to rush like a madman down the hallway toward his class. He managed to burst thorough the door and skid across the floor just before the bell rang.  
  
"It's good to see you made it, Mr. Kamiya." the teacher said as Tai pulled himself up off the floor, "Please take your seat."  
  
Tai quickly went to the back of the room and sat down at his lab table, several kids snickering or giving him high fives on the way there.  
  
He turned his head to come face to face with Sora. As luck would have it, this was the one class he had where the two say across from each other.   
  
"Hi, Sora." he said, trying to sound cool.  
  
"Hey, Tai." she responded quietly, never coming in eye contact with the boy.  
  
'That's weird.' Tai thought, 'She seemed happy enough when I saw her last. I wonder what could be wrong. I'll go talk to Matt. He understands girls better then I do.'  
  
  
  
".....and as you can see the process in quite simple." Izzy finished, "Any questions, Matt?"  
  
"Ummm.........no." Matt answered.  
  
"Ok, see you then." the red head said, walking away.  
  
"Yeah, see ya." Matt said, watching his friend disappear into the crowd of students, "Note to self: Don't ask Izzy to explain anything. It only leaves you more confused."  
  
"Sound advice." a voice said behind him.  
  
"Tai! I didn't see you come up behind me. What's up?"  
  
"Oh, just the sky, and-"  
  
Matt cut in, "Hey! That's my line!"  
  
"Yeah, well anyway. I wanted to ask you something. Sora's acting really weird. She was so quiet in biology today. Do you know what's up with her?" Tai asked.  
  
"Not really." Matt answered, "But I'll go ask her if you want. However, I really think it should be you."  
  
"Why me!" Tai questioned.  
  
"Well, you are worried about her. And maybe you can talk to her, you know?" Matt explained.  
  
"I don't know....." Tai trailed off.  
  
"Come on!" Matt insisted.  
  
"Ok." Tai agreed, "I'll stop by after school."  
  
  
  
"Hello?" Sora's mother asked when she opened the door, "Oh, Tai. It's you."  
  
"Hello, mame. I was wondering if I could talk to Sora. She seemed sad about something today and I wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong."  
  
"Well, I don't think she wants to talk to you now Tai." Sora's mother told him, "Come again later."  
  
"Oh, ok." Tai said, turning and waling away, "Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
  
  
"Thanks, Mom." Sora said, coming into the room.  
  
"No problem." her mother responded.  
  
"I think I want to go out now." Sora stated, heading for the door.  
  
"Fine, dear. Just be back in an hour."  
  
"Yes, Mom."  
  
  
  
She needed to clear her mind. Sora started running down the street.  
  
"Hey, Sora!" a voice called, "Wait up!!"  
  
"Matt? What are you doing out?" she asked.  
  
"Practicing. And you?" he asked her.  
  
"Nothing much. Just felt like running." she answered.  
  
"Tai said that you were kind of quiet today. I know he wouldn't want me telling you this, but he really does care about you. He loves you a lot, more then a friend. He was really heartbroken when you said he was just an older brother to you." Matt said.  
  
"What?!" Sora asked, a little surprised, "I thought he was going out with you."  
  
"Me? No way! I mean-" he stopped for a moment, "Me?! What on earth are you talking about, Sora?! Have you had anything you shouldn't have? I mean, me and Tai?! Where did you get that idea?!"  
  
"I saw the two of you hugging in the street yesterday. I wanted to say sorry to Tai, to let him know I do love him. And I saw the two of you." she explained.  
  
"That was just a friendly hug, as I told the other 10 people or so that were staring at us. What would have made you think we were like gay or something?" Matt asked, a little dumbfounded and horrified at the idea.  
  
Sora blushed a bit at her foolishness, "I truly don't know. I guess I was just sad and let my imagination get the better of me."  
  
"I should say!" Matt agreed.  
  
"I'm really sorry." Sora apologized.  
  
"That's ok. But I think you should let Tai know how you feel." Matt suggested.  
  
"Good idea." Sora agreed, "He should be headed to his house from mine. I can catch him on the way. Good bye Matt!" she called hurrying down the street.  
  
"Bye!" he called.  
  
  
  
'Stupid idea. Go and see Sora. Yeah right!' Tai thought, heading home.  
  
"Tai! Tai!"  
  
"What?" he asked looking up and turning his head.  
  
Sora ran up to him, "There's something I need to tell you." she said, catching her breath.  
  
"What?"  
  
She proceeded to explain her situation to Tai. He, in turn, smiled, blinked, sighed, gave her a questioning/grossed out look, and laughed his head off.  
  
"Me and Matt?!" he asked through choked laughs.  
  
Sora looking annoyed with her arms crossed, was turning red in the face, "Yes Tai."  
  
He stopped.  
  
"Well," Sora said, "I just thought you had the right to have me explain myself."  
  
"Thanks, and now only one thing is left undone." he said.  
  
"And what's that?" she asked.  
  
"Do you love me, Sora? In a way more then friends?"  
  
Sora turned to Tai and stared at him angrily, "Have you been listening to a word I've been saying, Tai!?" then she smiled, "Of course I do!" she cried, as she jumped into his arms and gave him a quick kiss.  
  
Tai smiled, just as he imagined it.  
  
  
The End  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
